1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a transparent conductor and a transparent conductive film using the same.
2. Related Background Art
In general, a panel switch such as touch panel is constructed by a pair of transparent electrodes opposing each other and a spacer held between the pair of transparent electrodes. When one of the transparent electrodes is pushed in such a panel switch, this transparent electrode comes into contact with the other transparent electrode, so as to conduct electricity, whereby the position of the point of contact is detected. Employed as the transparent electrode is a transparent conductive film, whereas the transparent conductive film has a transparent conductor in which conductive particles are dispersed in a binder.
In general, conductive particles are dispersed in such a transparent conductor. However, in general, each conductive particle is a secondary particle into which primary particles flocculate. When light is incident on the transparent conductor, the conductive particles scatter the light, thereby lowering the light transmittance and haze value of the transparent conductor. Therefore, transparent conductors having a sufficient light transmittance and haze value have been in demand.
As such a transparent conductor, a transparent conductor in which the volume content of conductive particles is 50 to 80%, for example, has conventionally been disclosed, and it has been proposed to improve the light transmittance and haze value by this transparent conductor (see Japanese Patent No. 3072862). Here, ultrafine particles of indium tin oxide having an average particle size of 30 nm are employed as the conductive particles.